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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Easy Baked Parmesan Zucchini Bites

    By: Kim Peterson · Posted: Jul 17, 2021 · Updated: May 24, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Easy Baked Parmesan Zucchini Bites are a go-to appetizer or side dish for any occasion. All ingredients are combined at once, making it super easy and quick to prepare. One bowl, one spatula, one baking dish. Done! Even better, they can be made ahead and frozen!

    Remember to PIN the RECIPE to make it later!

    Oven baked zucchini bites cut and served with fresh oregano and parsley.

    This has been a family favorite recipe for decades. It's perfect for any time of day and any day of the week. Plus, you can change up the vegetables and spices as you wish. Add some cooked sausage, bacon or ham, too, if you're not looking to keep things vegetarian. The make-ahead-and-freeze aspect is perfect for meal prepping!

    Jump to:
    • What tastes good with zucchini?
    • Key Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Cooking Steps
    • Expert Tips
    • How to Store Leftovers, Freeze & Reheat
    • FAQs
    • More Easy Vegetarian Appetizers to Try!
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • 💬 Comments

    What tastes good with zucchini?

    Even though zucchini is available throughout the year, it's at its peak abundance in the summer as gardens tend to overflow with this versatile veg. Zucchini have a mild flavor that's slightly sweet and becomes more concentrated when cooked, making it perfect to go with a variety of other produce, proteins, dairy, herbs and spices.

    In addition to this zucchini recipe, it's delicious in these Paella Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Shrimp, Grilled Halibut Packets and Easy Shakshuka with Tomato Sauce.

    Zucchini sliced using a mandoline.

    Key Ingredients & Substitutions

    As with all recipes, here are starting points for the main components and suggestions you can have fun with to make it all your own!

    Vegetables - Zucchini is the dominant veggie in this dish but I added onion and red bell pepper for some bite and color. Mushrooms, eggplant and seeded tomatoes would also work. And, you can substitute yellow squash for the green.

    Cheese - Parmesan takes the lead here. I love the nutty flavor and it also helps bind the mixture together. If you want to turn these into really cheesy zucchini bites, add shredded cheddar, fontina, mozzarella or creamy jack cheese.

    Herbs & Spices - I combined fresh parsley and marjoram here. Basil, oregano, tarragon and chives would be great choices as well. For a little kick, I added garlic powder and Cajun seasoning. Depending on your spice tolerance, you could always add a pinch of cayenne or Hungarian hot paprika.

    Binders - Bisquick, vegetable oil and eggs are the dry and wet batter bringing the rest of the ingredients together for a light, fluffy consistency when baked.

    What if I don't have Bisquick?

    You can totally make your own bisciut mix for this recipe! Simply combine 1 cup flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening in a food processor until well blended. Check out this biscuit mix recipe if you’d like to make a big batch.

    Spices and fresh herbs lined up in piles on wooden board.
    From left: chopped parsley, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, kosher salt and chopped marjoram

    Cooking Steps

    How much prep is involved?

    It takes all of maybe 15 minutes to chop the veggies and measure out the other ingredients. And all of which goes into a large bowl. Grab a spatula and gently fold until the mixture is well combined. Once your mixture is homogenous and happy, simply spread into a casserole dish as evenly as you can.

    How long do they bake?

    The dish then heads into a 350-degree oven. You're basically making a bisquick zucchini casserole. The filling becomes puffy and light with a golden crust and tender vegetables in just 25-30 minutes. In the last five minutes of baking, you can always sprinkle on a little more parm to enhance the crusty top.

    How to serve?

    When cool enough to handle, we like to cut them into smaller pieces for appetizers or carve out larger portions for a tasty side dish. They're perfect for brunch, holiday buffets throughout the year, and great to have on hand for unplanned get togethers and breakfast on the go. Hope you enjoy!

    Zucchini and vegetables combined with Bisquick egg mixture in casserole dish ready to bake.

    Expert Tips

    Here are a few things to keep in mind when putting this dish together.

    • Try to have your eggs at room temperature for more even baking.
    • Keep the zucchini slices around ¼ inch. Using a mandoline helps with uniformity if you have one.
    • You can do the chopping and measuring ahead of mixing everything together. But Do Not assemble the casserole well ahead of baking. The eggs can deflate and the mixture risks getting gummy.
    • Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of the baked casserole for the kiddos!

    How to Store Leftovers, Freeze & Reheat

    This super easy zucchini bites recipe is perfect for meal prepping. They hold up well in the fridge, in the freezer and you can literally enjoy them anytime of day.

    Storing Leftovers

    If there happens to be leftovers you don't plan to freeze, store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days. See Reheating instruction below.

    Freezing

    Once the baking dish cools completely, cut the baked zucchini into your desired shapes and sizes. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze. When frozen, seal in a freezer-safe bag and freeze up to 4 months.

    Reheating

    Bake frozen at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, and around 8 minutes if thawed. You can always microwave them, but the oven will yield a more crispy outside, tender inside result.

    Zucchini bites cut into triangles garnished with fresh herbs and served on a gray plate.

    FAQs

    Do you peel zucchini?

    No need! The skin is thin, unassuming and palatable. Plus, the dark color indicates it's nutrient rich so you want to keep it intact. For this recipe, all you need to do is give them a good rinse, trim the ends, halve vertically, then slice into half moons.

    Can I use frozen shredded or spiraled zucchini?

    I think fresh is best here but frozen zucchini will work. Be sure to let it thaw completely and wring out as much moisture as possible with a dish towel or paper towels. You don’t want the mixture to be watery. Add more Bisquick or some panko breadcrumbs if needed.

    Can they be made gluten free?

    They sure can. You can substitute a gluten-free flour for the Bisquick, but you'll need to add the baking powder, salt and vegetable shortening as indicated above. You can also try a blend of gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs.

    Close up of plated zucchini appetizers.

    More Easy Vegetarian Appetizers to Try!

    Mushroom Stuffed Portobellos (Keto & GF!)

    French Onion Smashed Potato Bites (GF)

    Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Lime Dip (GF)

    Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde (Vegan & GF)

    Before you go, be sure follow on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook and become part of our email community for all the latest updates!

    📋 Recipe Card

    Zucchini bites cut into triangles garnished with fresh herbs and served on a gray plate.

    Easy Baked Parmesan Zucchini Bites

    These make-ahead Zucchini Bites are so easy and fresh parsley, marjoram and Cajun seasoning take this versatile veg to a new level. And they're meant to be enjoyed any time of day!
    4.74 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 183kcal
    Author: Kim Peterson

    Equipment

    • Casserole dish

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups zucchini, ¼-inch half-moon slices
    • 1 cup Bisquick mix
    • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • ¾ cup onion, diced
    • ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 4 large eggs, slightly beaten

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9 casserole dish.
    • In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with a spatula until well combined.
    • Spread mixture into prepared dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and set in the center.
    • Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into triangles, squares or desired shape. Serve warm. Enjoy!

    Notes

    *If you don't have Bisquick on hand, you can totally make your own bisciut mix for this recipe. Combine 1 cup flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening in a food processor until well blended. Check out this biscuit mix recipe if you’d like to make a big batch.
    *This flavorful finger-food is freezer-friendly! After cutting into squares and letting cool completely, set them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet to freeze. When frozen, place in a freezer bag up to 4 months. Bake frozen at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, less time if thawed.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 613IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 107mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @giveitsomethyme or tag #giveitsomethyme!

    This page contains affiliate links. Meaning, whenever you purchase an item after clicking an Amazon link through this website, we receive a small percentage from Amazon. It doesn’t cost anything extra to you! It simply helps maintain the blog. Thanks so much!

    « Vegetarian Mushroom Stuffed Portobellos (Keto & Gluten Free)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chef Mimi says

      March 09, 2022 at 7:39 am

      This is great! Printing this to make this summer when (hopefully) I have a glut of zucchini, and a special 7 year old to help me cook!

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        March 09, 2022 at 1:11 pm

        Sounds like a great plan! Hope they're a hit!

        Reply
    2. Terry B. says

      December 20, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      I’ve made this recipe about five times now and it’s always a big hit. I didn’t adjust the recipe at all. It’s delicious and disappears quickly.

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        December 21, 2021 at 9:37 am

        Awesome! Thrilled it's enjoyed! Happy Holidays!!

        Reply
    3. KG says

      October 07, 2021 at 1:42 pm

      Going to try this for my daughter's upcoming birthday party. Do you have a dipping recommendation to serve it with?

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        October 07, 2021 at 2:10 pm

        Awesome! I think this versatile Creamy Green Herb Sauce would be great along with store-bought or homemade pesto. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    4. Beth Neels says

      August 13, 2019 at 8:47 am

      I saw this on IG Kim. I have so many zucchini right now, I need all the help I can get! Gonna try this this week. I'll let you know how it goes.

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        August 13, 2019 at 9:17 am

        Awesome! They're great to freeze too. Hope you like them Beth!

        Reply
    5. M york says

      April 04, 2017 at 2:02 pm

      Can't wait to make this when we get fresh Jersey zucchini!

      Reply

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    Kim | Creator and Author of Give it Some Thyme

    Welcome! I'm Kim - author, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Give it Some Thyme. Here you'll find wholesome, classic and contemporary recipes that make memorable meals every home chef can prepare. Pull up a chair!

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